The Minnesota Twins will be facing off against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Fox Sports North is in line to showcase this AL showdown and the action gets going at 1:10 p.m. ET.
Minnesota Twins vs. Tampa Bay Rays Odds
The Rays are only 7-13 SU and 9-10 ATS. The team’s lost 7.8 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 1.8 units against the spread (ATS). The Twins have gone 8-7 SU this year and are 11-3 ATS. In total, the team’s gained 2.5 units for gamblers taking the moneyline in this young season and 8.2 units ATS.
Rays games have a 12-7 over/under record so far in 2018. The Twins have an over/under record of 5-9.
Phil Hughes is getting the nod for Minnesota. The right-handed Hughes is 0-0 with an ERA. He has yet to face the Rays this year and did not record a start against them in 2017, either.
The Rays will put the ball in the hands of Yonny Chirinos (0-1, 2.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP), who has 15 punchouts and five walks. Chirinos did not pitch in the majors last season.
As a unit, Tampa Bay’s pitching staff has allowed 5.1 runs per game overall in 2018. Its starters have a 4.47 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 4.97 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 8.4 K/9.
The Tampa Bay hitters have put up 4.0 runs per outing, including 4.8 per game over its last 10 games and 6.4 per game over their last five. The team’s hit .299/.371/.471 over its last five matchups and is 4-1 SU during that span.
The Rays’ hitters have been led by outfielder Mallex Smith and second baseman Daniel Robertson. Smith is hitting .362/.422/.483 with 21 hits, three RBIs and nine runs scored, and Robertson’s line is .250/.434/.450 with 10 hits, five RBIs and 10 runs scored.
Smith performed well against righty pitching at home last season. Over 122 such plate appearances, he slashed .305/.393/.429 (compared to his overall season line of .270/.329/.355).
For the visiting squad, Minnesota’s pitching staff allowed 4.1 runs per game and its starters own a 3.49 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 9.21 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 4.13, along with a WHIP of 1.21 and a K/9 of 8.74.
The Twins offense has slashed .233/.306/.397 on its way to 4.1 runs scored per game in 2018, including 3.6 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 3.0 per game over the team’s last five contests (2-3 SU).
Right fielder Max Kepler and second baseman Brian Dozier have led Minnesota’s offense. Kepler is slashing .292/.393/.604 with 14 hits, six RBIs and six runs scored, while Dozier is slashing .303/.370/.545 with 20 hits, four homers, seven RBIs and 14 runs scored.
The Rays have lost 6.0 units and are 3-8 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over has hit in seven of those games, as opposed to four that’ve gone under against righties.
Minnesota Twins at Tampa Bay Rays Free Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Rays, ATS Winner – Twins, O/U – OVER
Notes
Betting Notes
The over has hit in five of Tampa Bay’s last seven games.
The Twins have lost three of their last four games SU.
Minnesota has posted 20.0 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 games and 19.8 over its last five.
The Twins have hit nine home runs in their last 10 games. The Rays have hit eight over their last 10.
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